Convenient Cocktails on a Student Budget

Food and Drink's Asha Jani tells readers how they can make exciting cocktails without breaking the bank

Being a student can mean your beverages often end up rather cheap and cheerful, especially if you end up drinking multiple times a week. Here are four convenient and cost-friendly cocktails to make when you grow sick of Glen’s Vodka and flat Coke.

Moscow Mule

An easy and quick cocktail that only requires a splash of vodka, ginger beer and lime juice. This will be way more refreshing than vodka and squash and even better: it is traditionally served in a mug, perfect for students!

Ingredients:

Vodka

Ginger Beer

Lime

Ice

Instructions:

Fill a mug (preferably copper) and fill with ice and pour in your desired amount of vodka. Squeeze in the juice from half a lime and then fill the rest of your mug with ginger beer. Mix it with a spoon, and garnish with an extra lime wedge.

The Greyhound

When the sweetness of cheap fizzy orange gets a bit much, switch it up for something with an edge. The Greyhound is one of my favourite cocktails, and ideal for the pre-drinks when you have ended up eating the food you intended on saving as leftovers and do not want to drink something that will make you feel more bloated.

Ingredients:

Vodka

Grapefruit Juice

Lime

Ice

Sugar

Instructions:

Sprinkle some sugar on a piece of kitchen roll, and rub a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Place the glass on the sugar and twist to create a sugar rim. Fill your glass with ice and vodka, and squeeze in some of your remaining lime wedge. Add in your grapefruit juice and enjoy!

The Gin Rickey

A cheaper version of the Gin and Tonic, and better because cheap soda is more bearable than cheap tonic water. Aldi’s gin has also won awards, so you are getting a decent standard of gin for your money, the perfect way to jazz up your cocktails!

Ingredients:

Gin

Soda

Lime (or lime cordial)

Ice

Instructions:

Fill a tall glass with ice, squeeze in your lime juice and throw them in. Add however much gin you desire, and fill up the rest with soda. If this is too bitter, add some lime cordial which is cheap and great to keep in the cupboards.

Bloody Mary

A personal favourite, and the best hangover cure for you and your housemates. Hopefully someone will have Tabasco, Worcester sauce and salt and pepper in their cupboards which leaves you without too much to buy!

Ingredients:

Vodka

Salt

Pepper

Tabasco

Worcester Sauce

Lemon/Limes

Tomato Juice

Ice

Instructions:

Fill your glass (or jug if you are making enough for the house) with ice. Squeeze in the juice of either lemon or lime. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and around five or six dashes of Tabasco and Worcester sauce. Fill up the jug with tomato juice, taste, and then add more of all the ingredients according to taste. Hair of the dog, perfect!